Yielding unit.



G. G. HINSDALE.

YIELDING UNIT.

AYPLIGATION FILED DEC. 9, 1912.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

7 FT E E 61 wipr es SE 5 We 7/%Wwe GEORGE G. HINSDALE, OF SOMIERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

YIELDING UNIT.

1,120,?lst.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application filed December 9, 1912. Serial No. 735,853.

To all ZC/LO'LL it may concern lle it known that l, (.lnonon HINsnALn, of Somerville, in the county of lrliddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Yielding Units, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in yielding units of that class which is more especially adapted for use in connecting two bodies so that they will normally be held a given d stance ap rt but may be made to approach or recede tr om each other by and against the yielding action of said units.

The invention carried out substantially as illustrated on the accompanying drawing which forms an essential part of this specification and whercon like characters of reference refer to like parts wherever they occur thereon.

On the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the yielding unit in its normal position. Fi 2 represents a similar side elevation of the unit showing parts thereof in longitudinal section, and showing the unit in its extreme expanded position as occupied when two bodies connected by said ur have been moved apart to the extreme limit of their movement in that direction. Fig. 3 represents a similar view to that shown in Fig. 2 but seen from a position at right angles to that of Fig. 2 and showing th parts of the unit in their extrcme contracted positions as occupied when two bodies connected by said unit have been moved toward each other to the extreme limit of their movement in that direction. F l represents a cross section of the unit on the line in F 3, showing the means whereby the several parts of the unit are securely held assembled without the use of screwed, welded or riveted joints of any kind and wl'icreby they can be easily taken apart when desired. Fig. 5 represents a detail end view of one of the bearing members which engage and support the yielding medium used in the unit. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of one of the sliding arms used in the unit. Fig. 7 represents a side elevation of the other sliding arm used in the unit. Fig. 8 represents a detail side elevation of one of the locking pieces which form the means whereby the parts of the unit are held assembled.

In forming a yielding unit of this class, when the yielding medium used consists of ametal spring, it is essential that the metal of the spring should always be stressed in the same way independent o'l. the movements of the bodies connected by said unit, whether they are moved apart or toward each other. It is also desirable that the various members or parts entering into the construction of the yielding unit should be made as simple and inexpensive to manufacture as possible; that the various parts of the unit be so made as to be assembled and the unit held togcther without the use of screws, bolts, nuts, or other screwed connections of any kind, or brazed, welded or riveted joints, and without bending, twisting or otherwise changing the shape of any of the constituent parts of the unit during the process of assembling the unit. thereby obtaining a device free from all joints liable to become loose or separated in use and one in which the several parts of the unit may be easily and quickly separated without destroying or injuring any of its parts.

In the device forming the subject matter of this invention, I obtain all of the foregoing useful. important and desirable resalts and with the additional result that ample and uniform strength is secured in all parts of the unit. It will also be seen by the complete description of the invention that the action of all parts is direct and thus free from friction due to the eccentric application of stresses.

The invention as herein described and shown is designed more especially with reference to its use as a yielding unit in a resilient wheel but it will be evident that it may be equally as well applied when a yielding unit of this nature is desired for other articles, devices or the like.

As shown on the drawings, the yielding medium 1 consists of an open coil helical spring. This spring is supported and engaged by two bearing members 2 and 2 one at each end thereof, which bearing members are provided with the respective thimblelike projections 23 and 3 extending from one bearing member toward the other bearing member and located within the coil of the spring, thus forming a support for the spring and keeping its coils in proper alinement.

Sliding arms and i are located within the coil of the spring 1 and the thimble-like projections 3 and 3 of the bearing members and 2 and project outside said bearlng members where they are provided with any desired means for attaching the unit to the bodies to be connected thereby. ()n the drawings I have shown the arms provided with the respective common male pivotal connection and the female pivotal connection 5 whereby several units may be connected into a continuous series, as in a resilient wheel or similar structure. lhe sliding arms are provided with the respective shoulders 6 and 6 adjacent to the outer ends of the arms, and at their inner ends with the respective shoulders 7 and 7 substantially as shown. Locking pieces, preferably made in two parts 8 and S and shown as semicircular disks so as to allow them to embrace the sliding arms between the shoulders thereon, fit within the respective projections 3 and 3 on the bearing members 2 and 2. The inner ends of the projections 3 and 3' are provided with the respective perforations 9 and 9 so shaped as to permit the ends of the arms to be inserted through the same but not to permit the locking pieces to pass through, which locking pieces bridge the respective perforations 9 and 9 thus forming a bearing for the shoulders 6 and 6 and 7 and 7 and holding the several parts of the unit assembled.

To permit the locking pieces to be placed in their proper position when assembling the parts of the unit, the spring is compressed, and the inner ends of the projections 3 and 3 are brought together as shown in Fig. 3. This positioning of the parts leaves sufficient spacebetween the outer face of the bearing members 2 and 2 and the respective shoulders 7-6 and 6-7 to permit the locking pieces to be inserted in their proper positions.

It is intended that the yielding medium shall be placed in position under slight stress, that is with a small amount of initial compression. Thus the locking pieces are always securely held in their proper places as the shoulders on the sliding arms are always in contact wigth them, or the locking pieces may be made aforce fit and be driven into the thimble-like projections as desired.

The operation of the unit when in use is such that the shoulders 7 and 7 will engage the locking pieces 8 and 8 when the two bodies connected by the yielding unit are moved apart causing the sliding arms to move outward and this engagement between said shoulders and the locking pieces will cause the compression of the spring or other yielding medium used in the unit, but when the bodies connected by the unit are moved toward each other causing the sliding arms to move inward, the shoulders 6 and 6 will engage the locking pieces 8 and 8 and will also cause a compression. of the yielding medium. Thus the yielding medium is always compressed independent of the direction in which the connected bodies and consequently the sliding arms are moved.

By the construction of the unit as herein described all joints and connections that might loosen or come apart are eliminated and by the use of the thimble-like projections on the bearing members a wide range of resilient action within a very limited space is obtained, and this is a very important result when the unit is to be used within a resilient wheel or similar construction where the available space is naturally very limited.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction and the operation of this invention, I wish to claim as follows:

1. An elastic connecting device comprising spaced open-ended bearing members, an elastic element supported thereby, a plurality of arms extending through the openended bearing members and slidable longitudinally with relation to each other and each arm provided with spaced shoulders, and locking pieces arranged between said shoulders and the outer ends of the openended bearing members whereby the movement of the arms in either direction causes the elastic element to be compressed.

2. An elastic connecting device comprising spaced oppositely disposed bearing members, each including a projection eX- tending toward the projection on the other bearing member, each bearing member being open-ended with the bores of the hearing members arranged in alinement, a plurality of oppositely disposed sliding arms each having two spaced shoulders thereon, said arms passing through the bores of the bearing members and through the said projecting portions thereof, a locking device introduced between the outer surface of each projection of each bearing member and the adjacent surfaces of the shoulders on the arms, and an elastic element arranged between the bearing members and embracing the said projections thereon and the sliding arms.

3. An elastic connecting device comprising an elastic element, bearing members at opposite ends of the elastic element each bearing member having a thimble-like projection embraced by the elastic element, the bearing members including their thimblelike projections being open-ended, arms passing through the bearing members and the thimble like projections thereof. and slidable longitudinally relative to each other, each arm having a shoulder disposed normally adjacent the outer end of the corresponding bearing member, and locking pieces inserted between said shoulders and the bearing members.

l. An elast1c connecting device compriseach end of the elastic element to support iio ing an elastic element, a bearing member at J,

the latter, each bearing member including a thimble-like projection extending into the elastic element, the bearing members and their projections being open-ended and arranged in alinement, arms slidable longitudinally relative to each other in said hearing members and their said projections and extending beyond the outer ends of the hearing members, each arm having a shoulder thereon arranged normally outside of the respective bearing member, and a sectional locking device embracing sliding arms and arranged Within the thimble-like projections of the bearing members.

5. An elastic connecting device comprising an elastic element, a bearing member arranged at each end of the elastic element, each bearing member including a thimblelike projection which extends into the cor responding end of the elastic element, the bearing members and their thimblc-likc projections being open-ended and arranged in alinemcnt, arms projecting into said hear ing members and their said projections and slidable longitudinally relative to each other and extending beyond the outer ends of the bearing members, the arms each having a shoulder outside the outer end of the corresponding bearing member, and a locking device disposed in each thimble-like projection oit'each bearing member between the inner end of said thimble-like projection and the shoulders on said arms, and said arms bridging the open inner ends of said thimble-like projections and holding the structure assembled.

6. An elastic connecting device comprising an open coiled sprin spaced bearing members at opposite ends of the spring each including a thimble-like projection entering the coil of the spring from opposite ends thereof, the inner ends of the thimble-lilic projections each having an annular shoulder and an aperture, arms passing through said apertures and slidable longitudinally relatively to each other, each arm having a shoulder arranged normally outside of the respective bearing member, and a locking device within each thiinble-like projection of each bearing member and disposed adjacent said annular shoulder of the respective bearing member and adapted to be engaged by the shoulders on the sliding arms and Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

causing compression of the spring whenever the slicing arms are moved longitudinally in either direction.

T. An elastic connecting device comprising an elastic element, a bearing member at each end of the elastic element, each bearing member including a thimble-like projection which enters the corresponding end of the elastic element, each thimblc-like projection including an aperture at its inner end, arms passing through the apertures oi the thimbles of the bearing members and slidable longitudinally relatively to each other, each arm having a shoulder, and a locking device arranged in each thimblclike projection of each bearing member for engagementby said shoulders, and whereby the structure is maintained assembled.

S. An elastic connecting device comprising spaced open-ended bearing members each including an internal annular shoulder, an elastic clement carried by said bearing members, a plurality of arms mounted in said bearing members and projecting therethrough and slidable longitudinally with relation to each other, each arm having a shoulder, and a two-part locking device disposed against each internal. annular shoulder for engagement by the shoulders of the respective arms whereby movement of the arms in either direction causes compression of the elastic element.

9. An elastic connecting device comprising spaced open-ended bearing members each including an internal annular shoulder, an elastic element carried by said bear ing members, a plurality of arms mounted in said bearing members and projecting therethrough and slidable longitudinally with relation to each other, each arm having a shoulder, and means arranged between the shoulders of the arms and the shoulders of the bearing members to hold the parts in assembled relation and whereby movement of the arms in either direction causes compression of the elastic element.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE G. HlNSDAL-E.

Witnesses Onanrns 7. Jonas, HENRY Cnaononnxe.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D, C. 

